Tag: Pedal Protect

Police Scotland teams with Selectamark as part of Pedal Protect

Police Scotland has once again partnered with a national security company to help tackle bike thefts as part of the ongoing Pedal Protect campaign.

Selectamark Security Systems PLC, which owns BikeRegister, have previously provided the service with a number of their SelectaDNA tagging spray kits, which were used successfully in Edinburgh to address the issue of crimes being committed on motorcycles.

In addition SelectaDNA property marking kits weredeployed as part of Operation Kapel, which took place within the Gorbals area of Glasgow and reduced housebreaking by 100%.

Prior to the launch of Pedal Protect, each local policing division within Police Scotland received a free BikeRegister starter kit from Selectamark to establish if they would be of use to the campaign.

Now, divisions have begun ordering various quantities of these kits to distribute to communities across the country free of charge.

The kit contains two highly durable and tamper-resistant QR barcode labels, which can be scanned with a smart phone to identify your bike on the BikeRegister website, and determine whether it is stolen. 

Each kit marks one bike and serves as a visible deterrent, as well as providing police with an enhanced investigative tool in the event a cycle is stolen and subsequently recovered.

Pedal Protect was launched on Friday, 26 March, 2021 and the initiative aims to reduce a national rise in bike thefts throughout Scotland by providing the public with a range of crime prevention and security advice, as well as offering services such as bike marking and registering at various locations.

In addition, policing teams will continue to carry out evidence gathering and enforcement activity to bring bike thieves to justice and reunite stolen cycles with their rightful owners.

Superintendent Matt Paden, Police Scotland’s Acquisitive Crime Lead, said: “On a number of previous occasions, we have successfully worked with Selectamark Security Systems to reduce various crime trends that have occurred in Scotland.

“We are confident this latest partnership will also be equally beneficial, not only to our investigative approaches, but to deterring and preventing bike crimes taking place in the first instance.

“Registering your bike on the BikeRegister is of vital importance to ensuring that, in the event, your cycle is taken, that we have all opportunities at our disposal to get it back to you. I’d encourage all members of the cycling community to visit www.bikeregister.com for more information on the BikeRegister or to request your own personal membership kit.”

James Brown, Managing Director of Selectamark, said: “Police Scotland continues to work tirelessly to reduce bike crime and have used BikeRegister bike marking kits for many operations across the country to tackle cycle theft.

“Not only does BikeRegister help reduce instances of cycle theft, but it also enables cyclists to be reunited with their bikes after they have been stolen.

“Police Scotland are one of the top forces for recovering stolen bikes which they have achieved through their own operational methods including working closely with second-hand cycle shops to make sure they are checking BikeRegister before they buy and sell cycles to ensure they are not registered as stolen.

“We would also encourage all cycle retailers to play their part in the fight against bike crime and mark and register all new bikes they sell.”

Police launch Pedal Protect bike theft campaign

Police Scotland has launched a national campaign to tackle the rising number of bike thefts taking place across the country and to raise awareness of bike security within the cycling community.

Pedal Protect officially kicked yesterday (Friday 26 March), to address the increasing trend in bike thefts, which has been experienced throughout Scotland in the past year. It will also be supported by British Transport Police.

Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and downward trend in various acquisitive crime offences, Police Scotland’s year to date figures in February 2021 showed over 4900 reports of stolen cycles were made. This is a rise of 18% from the previous year.

Often these crimes are motivated by opportunity, with those responsible taking advantage of poor or non-existent security measures in place when leaving bikes unattended, or storing them within sheds, garages and other outbuildings.

The launch of Pedal Protect took place at Fettes Police Station, where officers highlighted the significant number of lost and stolen bikes that come into police possession on a weekly basis.

In order to improve bike security officers across the country will be hosting a range of bike marking events and will publicise these on the Police Scotland social media channels.

In addition, police have been engaging with bike retailers in town and cities and many have now agreed to provide Pedal Protect and Bike Register security information leaflets to customers who purchase a new bike.

Local policing teams will also continue to gather intelligence on bike thefts taking place in their communities, and carry out appropriate enforcement action when required. The public are asked to come forward with any information relating to the theft of bikes within their communities.

Detective Superintendent Matt Paden, Police Scotland Acquisitive Crime Lead, said:  “Across Scotland, cycling is a popular form of transport, as well as a recreational past-time and each year the public spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on buying bikes.

“Despite the significant sums of money people spend on a bike, the amount spent on security pales in comparison. Stealing a bike is often seen as an attractive option for those involved in acquisitive crime, as to do so is normally a quick process, with modest security measures in place, easy to overcome.”

“While bike theft typically takes place to allow thieves to make a quick sale, we now believe more expensive custom bikes are being targeted by organised crime groups so they can be resold for hefty prices, which fund their criminal operations.

“We have launched Pedal Protect because we will be conducting a range of intelligence-led activity to return stolen bikes to their rightful owners, but also to encourage all of those who currently own, or who are considering buying a bike, to invest in appropriate security.

“Our Police Scotland website has a range of useful information on keeping your bike safe available at www.scotland.police.uk/keep-safe/home-and-personal-property/secure-your-bicycle

“I would also urge anyone who has had a bike lost or stolen to regularly check in with their local policing division and provide all relevant details so we can return as many recovered bikes as possible, often cycles are recovered but no one comes forward to claim them”

Supporting the Pedal Protect campaign is record-breaking Scottish cyclist, Mark Beaumont.

Attending the launch, Mark Beaumont added: “A bike can cost anything from a couple of hundred pounds, to several thousand pounds, but no matter what you pay, the feeling you get when your bike is stolen is the same.

“It’s devastating when a valued possession is taken from you and that’s why it’s so important to make sure you take all the necessary steps to keep your own bike safe.

“I’m really happy that Police Scotland has launched Pedal Protect, because not only are they taking the investigation of any stolen bike seriously, but are working hard to educate the public on how to safeguard their bikes.

“Having been the victim of a bike theft myself, I know how much distress it causes and that’s why I would urge all cyclists to consider the security they currently have in place for their bikes and ask themselves, are these measures sufficient?

“Police Scotland will be promoting their Pedal Protect campaign on a number of channels, including social media, so I’ll be sharing their messaging on my streams too. I really hope this helps raise awareness on bike security and potentially stop any of my followers having their own bikes stolen.”